CBSE Class 11 English Core Syllabus 2026-27

CBSE has released the revised Class 11 English Core Syllabus for the academic session 2026-27 on April 2, 2026. Students must follow the updated curriculum and exam pattern prescribed by the Board for the current session.

The CBSE Class 11 English Core Syllabus 2026-27 includes reading skills, writing skills, grammar, prose, poetry, and supplementary reading sections based on the latest CBSE and NCERT guidelines.

The syllabus also explains the course structure, marks distribution, internal assessment, and question paper format for the annual examination.

This page provides a detailed unit-wise syllabus summary, important topics, section-wise weightage, and updated paper pattern for Class 11 English Core preparation.

Download the official CBSE Class 11 English Core Syllabus 2026-27 PDF from the link given below.

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Table Of Contents−
CBSE Class XI MLQB 01

CBSE Class 11 English Core Syllabus 2026-27: Unit-wise Summary

CBSE Class 11 English Core Latest Syllabus 2026-27

Section Marks
A Reading Skills 26 Marks
B Grammar and Creative Writing Skills 23 Marks
C Literature Text Book and Supplementary Reading Text 31 Marks

Section A 

Reading Skills

I Reading Comprehension through Unseen Passages

(10+8=18 Marks)

  1. One unseen passage to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference and vocabulary. The passage may be factual, descriptive or literary.
  2. One unseen case-based factual passage with verbal/visual inputs like statistical data, charts etc.to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference and evaluation.

Note: The combined word limit for both the passages will be 600-750. Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions will be asked.

  1. Note Making and Summarization based on a passage of approximately 200-250 words.

1

Note Making:

5 Marks

  • Title:

1

  • Key/glossary:

1

  • Notes:

2

2

Summary (up to 50 words):

3 Marks

  • Content:

2

  • Expression:

1

Section B 

Grammar and Creative Writing Skills

II Grammar

7 Marks

  1. Questions on Gap filling (Tenses, Clauses)
  2. Questions on re-ordering/transformation of sentences

(Total seven questions to be done out of the eight given).

III Creative Writing Skills

16 Marks

  1. Short writing task – Classified Advertisements, up to 50 words. One out of the two givenquestions to be answered

(3 Marks: Format : 1 / Content : 1 / Expression : 1)

7. Short writing task –Poster up to 50 words. One out of the two given questions to be answered.

(3 marks: Format : 1 / Content : 1 / Expression : 1)

8. Long Writing task: Speech in 120-150 words based on verbal / visual cues related to contemporary / age-appropriate topic. One out of the two given questions to be answered.

(5 Marks: Format: 1 / Content: 2 / Expression: 2)

8. Long Writing Task: Debate based on visual/verbal inputs in 120-150 words, thematically
related to contemporary, topical issues. One out of the two given questions to be answered.

(5 Marks: Format: 1 / Content: 2 / Expression: 2)

Section C 

Literature Text Book and Supplementary Reading Text

This section will have variety of assessment items including Multiple Choice Questions, Objective Type Questions, Short Answer Type Questions and Long Answer Type Questions to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, evaluation and extrapolation beyond the text.

  1. One Poetry extract out of two, from the book Hornbill, to assess comprehension,
    interpretation, analysis, inference and appreciation.

(3x1=3 Marks)

  1. One Prose extract out of two, from the book Hornbill, to assess comprehension,
    interpretation, analysis, evaluation and appreciation.

(3x1=3 Marks)

  1. One prose extract out of two, from the book Snapshots, to assess comprehension,
    interpretation, analysis, inference and appreciation.

(4x1=4 Marks)

  1. Two Short answer type questions (one from Prose and one from Poetry, from the book
    Hornbill), outof four, to be answered in 40-50 words. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking.

(3x2=6 Marks)

  1. One Short answer type question, from the book Snapshots, to be answered in 40- 50 words. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. One out of two questions to be done.

(3x1=3 Marks)

  1. One Long answer type question, from Prose/Poetry of Hornbill, to be answered in 120-150 words. Questions can be based on incident / theme / passage / extract / event, as reference points to assess extrapolation beyond and across the text. The question will elicit analytical and evaluative response from the student. Any one out of two questions to be done.

(1x6=6 Marks)

  1. One Long answer type question, based on the chapters from the book Snapshots, to be answered in 120-150 words, to assess global comprehension and extrapolation beyond the text. Questions to provide analytical and evaluative responses, using incidents, events, themes, as reference points. Any one out of two questions to be done.

(1x6=6 Marks)

Prescribed Books

  1. Hornbill: English Reader published by National Council of Education Research and Training,
    New Delhi
    • The Portrait of a Lady (Prose)
    • A Photograph (Poem)
    • “We’re Not Afraid to Die... if We Can Be Together
    • Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues
    • The Laburnum Top (Poem)
    • The Voice of the Rain (Poem)
    • Childhood (Poem)
    • The Adventure
    • Silk Road (Prose)
    • Father to Son
  2. Snapshots: Supplementary Reader published by National Council of Education Research and Training, New Delhi
    • The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse (Prose)
    • The Address (Prose)
    • Mother’s Day (Play)
    • Birth (Prose)
    • The Tale of Melon City

Internal Assessment

Internal Assessment 20 marks
Assessment of Listening Skills 05 marks
Assessment of Speaking Skills 05 Marks
Project Work 10 Marks

CBSE Class 11 English Core Question Paper Design 2026-27 

Section Competencies Total
marks
Reading Skills Conceptual understanding, decoding, Analyzing, inferring, interpreting, appreciating,
literary, conventions and vocabulary, summarizing and using appropriate format/s.		 26
Grammar and Creative
Writing Skills		 Conceptual Understanding, application of rules, Analysis, Reasoning, appropriacy of style and tone,
using appropriate format and fluency, inference, analysis, evaluation and creativity.		 23
Literature Text Book
and Supplementary
Reading Text		 Recalling, reasoning, appreciating literary convention,
inference, analysis, creativity with fluency, Critical Thinking.		 31
TOTAL 80
Internal Assessment Assessment of Listening and Speaking Skills 10
  • Listening
 5+5
  • Speaking
  • Project Work
 10
GRAND TOTAL 100

The Changes for Class 11 (2026-27) Year-end Board Examinations are as under:

(Class-11)
Periodic Assessment Academic Session 2025-26 Academic Session 2026-27
Composition of question paper for year-end examination/ Board Examination (Theory)
  • Competency Focused Questions in the form of MCQs/ Case Based Questions, Source-based Integrated Questions or any other type = 50%
  • Select response type questions (MCQ) = 20%
  • Constructed response questions (Short Answer Questions/Long Answer type Questions, as per existing pattern) = 30%
  • Competency Focused Questions in the form of MCQs/ Case Based Questions, Source-based Integrated Questions or any other type = 50%
  • Select response type questions (MCQ) = 20%
  • Constructed response questions (Short Answer Questions/Long Answer type Questions, as per existing pattern) = 30%

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